You, a tyrannical ruler, roam the heavens; you cannot understand my joy.

Explore the myriad treasures of the heavens; this is your haven for book hunting.

For the next few days, Jinling City maintained a strange calm on the surface.

As the Lunar New Year approaches, the streets are busier with vendors selling New Year's goods and shoppers, which has eased some of the bleakness of winter.

The imperial gazettes continued to be issued on time, mostly consisting of official reports on auspicious omens from various regions, the appointment and removal of officials, and taxes and provisions. There were only a few words about the demonic disturbances, mentioning that "the court has ordered the relevant departments to strictly suppress and pacify them, and the regions are gradually becoming peaceful," as if the turmoil of the past few days was just an insignificant ripple.

But the undercurrents never ceased.

The sentries Liu Gonggong sent to monitor the abandoned garden and the dry well reported back for two consecutive nights that after midnight, there was indeed a very faint, almost imperceptible sound of a woman sobbing coming from the depths of the abandoned garden, but they did not see the "red shadow".

The sentry, as ordered, did not approach, but merely recorded the events from a distance.

Meanwhile, no further reports of anything unusual came from Eunuch Chen's side, as if the "thing" knew it was being watched and had temporarily hidden itself.

Since that night, Yan Qingfeng has remained silent, as if he has completely accepted his suspension. He only goes to the pharmacy every day to get medicine for his elderly mother. Occasionally, he stands quietly under the old locust tree at the entrance of Tiezanzi Alley, gazing in the direction of the imperial city, lost in thought.

Lu Zuo's life, on the surface, remained the same as always.

During the day, after recovering from a "cold," he resumed his "tyrannical" routine of going about his business every few days. Sometimes he would summon Wen Qingqing to play the zither and sing, sometimes he would go to Qiluan Palace to "comfort" Yuwen Xue, and most of the time he would be alone in the Imperial Study "reviewing memorials."

He listened to Liu Gonggong's briefing once a day on his search for old Ministry of Works files and his investigation into the connection between "Yongtong Bank" and Liu Xiang's nephew, and did not ask many questions, showing great patience.

In secret, he never slacked off in his cultivation.

The "Huangji Zhenshi Gong" is steadily advancing towards the mid-stage of the Innate Realm, with its true energy becoming increasingly refined and profound, and its power contained in every gesture.

The progress of the "Spiritual Resonance Forging Technique" was relatively slow. The tempering of spiritual power was like carving a beautiful jade, which could not be rushed. However, he could clearly feel that his perception was becoming more and more acute. His control over his body, his perception of the flow of qi in the surrounding environment, and even his perception of the subtle changes in the emotions of others had all improved to a higher level.

This allowed him to grasp the essentials more quickly when handling government affairs, and also enabled him to more accurately understand the thoughts of Wen Qingqing, Yuwen Xue, and even Eunuch Liu in their daily interactions.

On the afternoon of the third day, Eunuch Liu brought the long-awaited news.

Inside the imperial study, the charcoal fire provided warmth.

Liu Gonggong's face was rather pale, whether from the cold or from shock, it was hard to tell.

He lowered his voice and reported, "Your Majesty, the old clerk in the Ministry of War whom I entrusted went through tremendous effort and even took some risks, and finally managed to find some things from a pile of old, worm-eaten, and almost unwanted documents from the bottom of the Ministry of Works."

He carefully presented a stack of pages that were clearly copied later, but the handwriting was old and the paper was yellowed.

"These are scattered records about the former dynasty's 'Jingyun Palace'—which is now the area of ​​the ruined garden—and that 'Demon-Locking Well'."

Also… some fragments of case files regarding the witchcraft case of the former dynasty's "Consort Duanjing" are closely related to that well.”

Lu Zuo's spirits lifted, and he took the paper, quickly glancing through it.

The Ministry of Works' records are very brief, mostly consisting of building repair records.

The well is called the "Demon-Locking Well," which is not its original name, but rather a name bestowed by an emperor of a previous dynasty for some reason.

Records indicate that this well was dug in the mid-previous dynasty and was originally the water source for Jingyun Palace. It is 15 zhang deep and contains a natural stone cave at the bottom, which is extremely cold and damp.

Later, due to "unrest in the palace and the possession of evil spirits," a "virtuous monk" used talismans and magical implements to suppress the well at the bottom, and cast an iron cover to seal it, naming it "Demon Locking," and forbidding it from being opened.

Later, Jingyun Palace gradually fell into disrepair, and the matter was forgotten.

The records concerning the witchcraft case of "Consort Duanjing" come from fragments of documents from the Ministry of Justice or the inner court, and are even more vague and ambiguous.

It only mentions that the concubine committed suicide because she "privately practiced witchcraft and cursed the emperor and empress," and her personal palace servants were beaten to death, and related items were burned.

However, a small note caught Lu Zuo's attention: "...The Consort acts mysteriously and often wanders around the abandoned well behind the palace late at night. The palace servants suspect that she is connected with the strange things in the well."

However, no evidence was found, and the matter involved a palace scandal, so it was kept quiet.

The abandoned well in the palace is naturally the "Demon-Locking Well"!

Did Consort Duanjing often wander around an abandoned well late at night before her death?

Is it connected to a foreign object in the well?

Lu Zuo suddenly felt enlightened!

That's it!

That well was probably not sealed away by the "high monk" to prevent evil spirits from entering, but rather it was connected to something unclean, or its cold and yin nature attracted some evil creatures!

It is highly likely that Consort Duanjing discovered the secret of the well, and may even have attempted to use the power within the well to perform witchcraft, ultimately backfiring on herself and causing a tragedy.

After her death, over the years, the "strange object" in the well was not eliminated. Instead, it may have become more powerful and bizarre due to the blood sacrifice of witchcraft, the resentment of the concubine, and the nourishment of the yin and filth dragon energy gathered in the underground palace!

The so-called "woman in red" is likely a kind of evil spirit transformed from the vengeful spirit of Consort Duanjing, which combined with the original "foreign object" in the well to become a demon occupying this place!

Is the "queen" mentioned by the wolf demon related to this?

Is it the vengeful spirit of Consort Duanjing that has gained power, or is it a strange object in the well that has been resurrected?

"There is one more thing, Your Majesty."

After Liu Gonggong and Lu Zuo finished reading, Liu Gonggong whispered, "Regarding 'Yongtong Bank' and Liu Xiang's grand-nephew Liu Wenchang, this old servant has also inquired about some things indirectly through some old connections doing business outside the palace."

Liu Wenchang was a distant relative of the Liu family. He was uneducated and incompetent, but relying on the name of Prime Minister Liu, he engaged in lending, pawning, and even... private dealings in weapons and prohibited drugs in the capital. He was very ruthless.

He and the head manager of "Yongtong Bank" were sworn brothers, and it was common for them to launder money and transfer assets through the bank.

However, in the past six months, Liu Wenchang's financial transactions with "Yongtong Bank" have suddenly become more frequent and the amounts have become huge, far exceeding the normal turnover of his businesses.

Moreover, the final destination of several large sums of money remains a mystery. The small money lenders involved either went bankrupt or their managers "died unexpectedly" within the last month or two, and the trail went cold.

Lu Zuo's eyes were icy cold.

Liu Wenchang, Liu Daoling's grand-nephew, was involved in a huge flow of unexplained funds, and the clues were cut off... This almost confirms that Liu Daoling's faction was secretly funding, or at least condoning, the existence of the "Beast Den" in the old workshop!

That money could very well be used to buy "demon blood," hire fugitives, or engage in other shady dealings!

It was only natural that Pan Ren suppressed Yan Qingfeng.

"Furthermore," Liu Gonggong's voice lowered, filled with fear, "my old friend, while searching through old files, also stumbled upon a top-secret report from the Jingmotai (Demon Suppression Bureau) from twenty years ago, concerning the pursuit and suppression of a group of remnants who called themselves the 'Blood Worship Cult.'"

Those remnants worshipped the so-called "Blood God" and were skilled at using the essence and souls of living people to create evil objects to enhance themselves. Their leaders all had blood-red evil marks on their bodies.

At that time, Jingmotai, together with several retired martial arts masters, paid a considerable price to wipe them out. However, their leader, "Blood Rakshasa," was seriously injured and fled, his whereabouts unknown. It is said that he escaped to the Southern Frontier or the East China Sea.

The report concluded by mentioning the suspicion that the "Blood Rakshasa" was not dead, and that his "Blood Seal" evil technique might still be circulating...

Blood Worship Cult!

Blood Rakshasa!

Bloodstained Evil Magic!

A flash of inspiration struck Lu Zuo!

The wolf demon's "blood mark," the scarred man's "dark red pattern" on his chest, the "bloodline pact" recorded in the ancient scrolls, and the "blood mark evil magic" of this "blood worship cult"... all of these things suddenly connected!

The so-called "Demon Queen" is very likely the Blood Rakshasa, the leader of the Blood Worship Cult who escaped twenty years ago, or his successor!

She lay low for twenty years, secretly cultivating, recovering, and possibly even improving her evil magic, no longer just controlling humans, but targeting more easily manipulated and more powerful demons!

She used the "blood seal" to control demons, build her power, and infiltrate the capital.

And her goal...

Lu Zuo recalled the ancient records about the "Bloodline Pact": "Source Blood" can replenish itself by devouring the power or life of the person who has been imprinted!

If the "Blood Rakshasa" controls a large number of demons and may even have infiltrated some human forces, then what she seeks by lurking in the capital city, a place with a population of millions and where dragon energy gathers, is likely an unprecedented "blood sacrifice" that uses all the living beings in the city as offerings, to help her break through her bottleneck and achieve some kind of terrifying "blood demon" body!

At that point, it will probably not just be a minor disturbance caused by demons, but a true catastrophe that destroys the city!

As for Liu Daoling and Yuwen Qing, those two fools, in order to force out the Black-Clad Guards and seize the imperial power, they actually secretly cooperated with such evil heretics, transferring "demon blood" and creating chaos. It was simply like asking a tiger for its skin, courting their own destruction!

They may have thought they could control the "Blood Rakshasa," but little did they know that they had already become part of the other party's blood sacrifice plan, or even... an appetizer before the sacrifice!

A chill rose up from Lu Zuo's spine.

The situation was far more perilous than he had anticipated.

This is no longer just a power struggle in the imperial court, but a survival battle between good and evil that could sweep across the entire capital!

"Liu Banban," Lu Zuo's voice was deep and solemn, carrying an unprecedented chill, "you did very well."

Reward that old official handsomely!

Tell him to watch what he says.

These messages must never be mentioned to a third party.

"This old servant understands!"

Liu Gonggong quickly agreed, and he could sense the fear that something terrible was about to happen from Lu Zuo's expression.

"In addition, continue to monitor the abandoned garden, but double the manpower, replace them all with real experts, and equip them with exorcism talismans, black dog blood, cinnabar and other items. Under the pretext of protecting the palace and investigating potential dangers, set up defenses around the abandoned garden and strictly prohibit anyone from approaching, especially after midnight!"

If you spot the "red shadow" or anything unusual, do not take any action; immediately sound the alarm with a siren!

Lu Zuo quickly gave the order.

It is unclear whether the "woman in red" in the abandoned garden is related to the "blood demon," but we must be on high alert and never allow the palace to become an altar for the other party to cast spells!

"yes!

"This old servant will take care of it immediately!"

Eunuch Liu accepted the order.

"Also," Lu Zuo called out to him, "find a way to discreetly and subtly leak information about Liu Wenchang's unusual financial dealings with 'Yongtong Bank,' as well as the possible connection to the Jiufang murder case, to those hotheaded censors in the Censorate who are known for their uprightness and meddlesome nature."

Remember, make it seem like they found it "by chance," and that it has nothing to do with us.

Liu Gonggong's eyes lit up.

Is Your Majesty using the censor's blade to provoke Liu Daoling?

While it may not fundamentally damage the problem, it can at least create trouble, distract the target's energy, and may even force out more weaknesses!

"This old servant understands!"

"It will definitely be handled properly!"

Eunuch Liu hurriedly left to make arrangements.

Lu Zuo stood alone in front of the huge window of the Imperial Study, gazing at the gloomy, snow-threatening sky outside.

The pressure in his heart was like a mountain, but what burned in his eyes was an even more intense flame.

"Blood Rakshasa... Blood Worship Cult... Liu Daoling... Yuwen Qing..."

He whispered these names, each one representing a potentially deadly threat.

"Okay, very good."

They've all gathered together.

This will save me the trouble of searching for them one by one.

He turned and strode towards the quiet room.

Time is really running out.

Preparations must be completed at "Blood Rakshasa" before Liu and Yuwen launch their full-scale attack, and we must possess the power to crush everything!

The "Imperial Ultimate World-Suppressing Technique" was fully activated, and the true energy surged and roared through the meridians like the Yangtze River, impacting the barrier of the mid-stage of the Innate Realm.

He pushed the "Spiritual Rhinoceros Forging Divine Technique" to its limit, his spiritual power highly concentrated, like an invisible hammer repeatedly forging the core of his consciousness, making his thinking clearer and calmer. Under immense pressure, he entered a mysterious, selfless state of cultivation.

Unbeknownst to him, while he was busy cultivating and strategizing in the deep palace, undercurrents were surging even faster throughout the capital.

Jiufang, a shantytown in the southwest, deep within a dilapidated courtyard boarded up with wooden planks.

The one-eyed man with a hideous scar on his face, known as "Scarface," was shirtless, revealing his strong but muscular body covered with various old scars.

The dark red mark on his chest, resembling twisted blood vessels or strange runes, was radiating heat and throbbing as if it were alive.

Before him lay a ceramic basin filled with a dark red, viscous liquid that emitted a pungent, nauseating stench of blood, mixed with the smell of decaying vegetation and sulfur.

Scarface's eyes were closed, and the muscles on his face were contorted, as if he were enduring great pain, or perhaps enjoying some kind of extreme pleasure.

He made a strange hand seal with both hands and pressed it against the mark on his heart.

The dark red liquid in the basin, as if drawn by an invisible force, transformed into wisps of blood-red mist, which slowly rose and seeped into the mark on his heart.

With each wisp of absorption, the mark deepened in color, and his aura grew colder and more violent. Beneath his skin, faint bluish-black veins bulged, wriggling like earthworms.

In the corner of the room, two beggars, one old and one young, were huddled together, their mouths gagged, tightly bound, and dressed in rags. Their eyes were filled with boundless fear as they watched this monstrous scene, so frightened that they soiled themselves.

The liquid in the basin gradually disappeared.

Scarface suddenly opened his single eye, a flash of bloodshot light appearing briefly before disappearing. He exhaled a long breath of foul air, the smell of blood lingering on his face, a satisfied yet cruel smile spreading across his lips.

"Soon...almost there...Master's 'Holy Blood' is becoming purer and purer...Once the 'Myriad Spirits Blood Array' is complete, the capital city...hahahahaha!"

He let out a low, maniacal laugh, his gaze sweeping over the two beggars in the corner as if they were two piles of garbage about to be disposed of.

"Drag it down and feed it to the 'little babies'."

"The essence and blood have been extracted; what remains cannot be wasted."

From the shadows, two men with vacant eyes but unusually agile movements silently emerged, dragging the struggling beggar, who was uttering desperate whimpers, deeper into the courtyard.

There, faint, suppressed, and chilling sounds of chewing and swallowing could be heard.

Scarface stood up, walked to the window, and looked towards the palace, his single eye flashing with fanatical piety and greed.

"Master...you will soon be able to enjoy the grandest and sweetest offering in the world...this place where true dragons gather, the blood and souls of billions of living beings, will surely enable you to achieve divine power and rule the world with your blood!"

The Prime Minister's residence, a secret room.

After listening to his confidant's report on the smooth delivery of "demon blood" and the planting of "seeds" at several designated locations, Liu Daoling nodded in satisfaction.

But then he frowned slightly and asked, "Has Wenchang been too conspicuous lately?"

The turnover of Yongtong Bank is said to have caught the attention of several oblivious censors.

The confidant whispered, "Don't worry, Your Excellency, it's already been taken care of."

Those few censors, someone will go and 'remind' them.

As for Young Master Wenchang, he has already been warned to restrain himself in the near future.

Back in the old town, "Scarface" relayed a message: everything is going smoothly, they're just waiting for signals from the Prime Minister and Marshal Yuwen.

Liu Daoling grunted in acknowledgment, a cold glint in his eyes: "Has the second batch of 'goods' arrived from Yuwen Qing's side?"

"Your Excellency, the goods were secretly transported to Tianjin Port last night and are being transferred into the city in batches."

Marshal Yuwen sent someone to inquire when the "second step" could begin.

"No rush."

Liu Daoling picked up his teacup and blew on it gently. "When the capital is in a bit more chaos, when that tyrant and his hidden trump cards are forced into a corner, we'll throw out the bait of the 'Demon King.' I don't believe the Black-Clad Guards will be able to hold their tongues then."

Tell Yuwen Qing to proceed according to plan. Before the end of the year, war must break out in the capital and beyond!

We must make everyone feel that the heavens of the Great Hao are truly about to change!

"yes!"

Marshal's Mansion, Training Ground.

Yuwen Qing wielded his heavy lance, each strike accompanied by a deafening roar that tore through the air, shattering the ironwood dummy in front of him into countless fragments.

He was radiating heat, and his eyes burned with fighting spirit.

A trusted general strode over and whispered a few words in his ear.

Yuwen Qing sheathed his spear and stood there, a ferocious smile on his face: "Good!"

The second batch of 'demon blood' has arrived, enough to give birth to several real 'big guys'!

The order is to proceed according to Plan No. 3, and simultaneously detonate the explosives near the east, west, and north city gates three days before Lunar New Year's Eve!

This general wants to make this Nanjing city have a truly "lively" New Year!

Let that old fox Liu Daoling and that useless emperor in the palace see what true power really is!

"Yes, sir!"

The general readily agreed and quickly left.

Yuwen Qing gazed in the direction of the palace and snorted coldly: "Black-Clad Guards?"

Royal heritage?

In the face of absolute power and chaos, everything is bullshit!

Once I have dealt with the demons and stabilized the hearts of the people, who in this world can stop me, Yuwen Qing?

Liu Daoling?

Hmph, I'll deal with you slowly later!

As the wind and snow approached, the undercurrents had transformed into a raging torrent, surging and crashing towards the ancient imperial city from a depth unseen by all.

Can the young emperor build a Noah's Ark capable of cutting through the waves before the destructive tidal wave crashes down?

Time ticked away, like the footsteps of death, drawing ever closer.

Tell Yuwen Qing to proceed according to plan. Before the end of the year, war must break out in the capital and beyond!

We must make everyone feel that the heavens of the Great Hao are truly about to change!

"yes!"

Marshal's Mansion, Training Ground.

Yuwen Qing wielded his heavy lance, each strike accompanied by a deafening roar that tore through the air, shattering the ironwood dummy in front of him into countless fragments.

He was radiating heat, and his eyes burned with fighting spirit.

A trusted general strode over and whispered a few words in his ear.

Yuwen Qing sheathed his spear and stood there, a ferocious smile on his face: "Good!"

The second batch of 'demon blood' has arrived, enough to give birth to several real 'big guys'!

The order is to proceed according to Plan No. 3, and simultaneously detonate the explosives near the east, west, and north city gates three days before Lunar New Year's Eve!

This general wants to make this Nanjing city have a truly "lively" New Year!

Let that old fox Liu Daoling and that useless emperor in the palace see what true power really is!

"Yes, sir!"

The general readily agreed and quickly left.

Yuwen Qing gazed in the direction of the palace and snorted coldly: "Black-Clad Guards?"

Royal heritage?

In the face of absolute power and chaos, everything is bullshit!

Once I have dealt with the demons and stabilized the hearts of the people, who in this world can stop me, Yuwen Qing?

Liu Daoling?

Hmph, I'll deal with you slowly later!

As the wind and snow approached, the undercurrents had transformed into a raging torrent, surging and crashing towards the ancient imperial city from a depth unseen by all.

Can the young emperor build a Noah's Ark capable of cutting through the waves before the destructive tidal wave crashes down?

Time ticked away, like the footsteps of death, drawing ever closer.